Cameo Critic: Rihanna

December 14, 2008 at 5:46AM
International pop singer Rihanna gestures during a concert with Chris Brown in suburban Taguig, south of Manila, Philippines on Sunday Nov. 16, 2008. Rihanna has recently canceled a concert in Indonesia over security concerns.
International pop singer Rihanna gestures during a concert with Chris Brown in suburban Taguig, south of Manila, Philippines on Sunday Nov. 16, 2008. Rihanna has recently canceled a concert in Indonesia over security concerns. (Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Pop-soul diva Rihanna, who headlines KDWB's Jingle Ball Monday at Xcel Energy Center, has had more No. 1 pop hits in the '00s than any other female artist. A friend played her a new song that she envies and adores -- "What It Is" by Sophia Fresh, a female trio discovered by T-Pain.

"It's a really new song, and I fell in love with it. I almost wish the song was mine. It's really, really incredible. There's no genre for it. The melody is very pop, but the beat is really gutter. It's a heavy hip-hop beat."

about the writer

about the writer

Jon Bream

Critic / Reporter

Jon Bream has been a music critic at the Star Tribune since 1975, making him the longest tenured pop critic at a U.S. daily newspaper. He has attended more than 8,000 concerts and written four books (on Prince, Led Zeppelin, Neil Diamond and Bob Dylan). Thus far, he has ignored readers’ suggestions that he take a music-appreciation class.

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